


The Case of an Upset Stomach

by Separate_The_Earth



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Chaos is a dick, Comfort fic, Finished months ago, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Tifa acts as Group Mom, Vincent pukes behind a bar, We Die Like Men, i wrote this months ago oh boy, there's Accidental Cannibalism thats mentioned off screen, title may change
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2019-06-04 18:02:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15152642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Separate_The_Earth/pseuds/Separate_The_Earth
Summary: After blacking out for an unknown amount of time, Vincent Valentine wanders into Midgar.  To his surprise, he has an upset stomach and goes to Tifa for a remedy.





	The Case of an Upset Stomach

**Author's Note:**

> Ayy I finished this like months ago, but the title kept alluding me. Here you go!

What happened?

Last night... It was a blur…

Vincent glanced around, taking in his surroundings.  He breathed a sigh of relief, recognizing the area outside of Midgar, Edge to be exact.  His body felt heavy, his thoughts quiet.

The man paused, weary eyes looking over the city.  It was early evening. He felt like he could collapse right there and sleep.  Vincent was not used to such quiet. His roommates—as his friends referred to them—usually made themselves known in one way or another.  While he wished for such silence, it usually wasn’t a good sign.

Blacking out, no memory of what happened, or even for how long… Vincent Valentine frowned.  Common sense pointed to Chaos. Even after the events of Meteorfall and Sephiroth’s return, the demon could still take complete control, as rare as it may be.

“What did you do…” He spoke stern yet soft, as if to an unruly teenager.  “Chaos, what have you been up to…”

Silence.

A twinge of discomfort and nausea rushed over the man.  He clutched his stomach, no longer use to feeling ill or stomach pains.  Teeth gritted, he let out a growl directed towards the unruly demon. His better judgment was telling him to head to Seventh Heaven, to lay low in comfort until the feeling passed.  He started the trek towards the bar.

The feeling should be gone before he even reached his destination.

The streets were filled with people, much to Vincent’s displeasure.  The irritating unpredictability of the masses did no good for the man’s still upset stomach.  He made a note to ask Tifa for some ginger ale to sooth it. A trick he did not expect to still need in the first place.

A small crowd of people were surrounding a tiny television outside of a shop.  Vincent soon joined them, the flow of people pushing the unwilling man into the small group.  The people spoke in concerned voices.

A massacre of a small village, only hours away.

Vincent kept note.  Whatever caused it would soon have a bounty on its head.  A bounty meant that soon, Vincent would have a job, therefore money.

Cloud and Tifa were always accommodating to his needs.  Vincent decided that part of his next pay would go to them, to pay off whichever debts he may have.  It appears he would be staying in Midgar for longer than he expected, even if the trip was not planned in the first place.

Vincent pushed through the crowd of people, his stomach making him appear irritable and even more unapproachable.

The winding roads became more familiar, signifying that he was almost to Seventh.  The closest thing he had to a home, aside from the old mansion. The storefront stood out against the drab surroundings.  It wasn’t decorated or even colored different. Vincent could only describe it as a sort of energy the place gave off. It was calming. Reassuring even.  One would say he was home.

His stomach cramped as another wave of nausea rushed over him.  Shaking his head, he walked into the bar. Immediately Tifa greeted him with her usual smile and wave.  Vincent noticed the lack of Cloud and the two children they watched over. He made his way to the counter, and sat in his usual spot by the wall.

“The usual, Vincent?”  She stood behind the counter, waiting for his answer.  “It’s been a while. Don’t be a stranger and stop by some more, alright.”  Tifa smiled, happy to see the man again.

He was silent, his stomach tossing and turning.  Vincent looked to the bar between him and the woman, concentrating on the dents and imperfections.  Speaking seemed to make the nausea worse.

“Are you okay?”  Tifa had a look of concern as she observed her usually silent friend.  Fighting alongside him, she learned to pick up the little cues. Her perception also helped outside of battle, even if it meant letting the man have his space and helping to keep the more rambunctious members at arms length.  “You don’t look too good.”

Vincent took a deep breath and continued to keep his attention on the bar.  It will pass soon. He glanced up to Tifa, not moving his head. His eyes closed as he took a deep breath, trying to force the nausea away.

Tifa gently touched the back of her hand on his cheek, gingerly brushing away locks of hair.  “You do feel a little warm.” A pause. “Do you feel sick at all?”

Vincent sighed.  “Do you have ginger ale?”  His stomach churned in protest.  He closed his eyes and took a deep deep breath.

Tifa nodded.  “Coming right up.  Hold tight, alright.”  She quickly grabbed a glass, and after searching through the various drinks, pulled out what she was looking for.  The bartender filled the glass and placed it in front of Vincent. “Don’t drink too fast, it’ll do more harm than good.”

He nodded in thanks as he tried to muster the strength and willpower to take the drink.

“Have you been eating properly?”

Vincent glanced up to his friend and shrugged.  “Ask Chaos.”

Chaos remained silent.

“So it’s been a while then…”  She was silent. Tifa couldn’t begin to imagine what kind of relationship her friend had with those demons.  She would bet money that it wasn’t good, even on the best of days.

There were times when Vincent had less control, that it would be as if he was a different person when he changed, even running off.  He would come back a few hours or days later, exhausted and hungry, but nonetheless worse for wear. Though now he had control whenever they would decide to rear their ugly heads, but even then there was always the exception to the rule.

“Are you okay?”  It was a stupid question, but Tifa still asked.  It was more for her benefit then his. “Like, really okay…”

Vincent didn’t know how to answer.

“Could be better.”  Another wave of nausea.  Vincent grabbed the glass and took a sip, his driving force being his stubbornness.

The welcoming coolness of the drink was quickly overwhelmed by the room spinning in circles and a sudden rush of heat that would not go away.  His entire being felt numb before a stronger feeling of nausea hit.

He felt hot and stuffy, like the weight of his cloak was too much to bear.  Vincent closed his eyes, trying to steady his breathing. He didn’t notice Tifa rush around the bar and start to help him remove the cloak.  Cooler air hit his face, while welcome, it didn’t help for long. Tifa gently folded up his cloak and placed it behind the bar. She took his gun and placed it in the safe.

Vincent sat hunched over the bar.  Without the cloak to conceal it, he appeared lanky and thin, almost to an unhealthy degree.  If he wasn’t feeling ill, Tifa would of made him eat his weight in something of sustenance. His skin was paler than usual, though his black attire and raven hair seemed to emphasize it.  The golden gauntlet and sabatons seemed to stand out even more against the black leather.

Tifa took his headband and pulled his hair back and up off his neck, to let it cool off. She backed away, letting him have space.  The cooler air felt nice, it helped him to breathe, though his breaths were quick and shallow.

“Can you walk?” Tifa gently touched Vincent’s shoulder.  “Let’s go to the apartment, alright?”

Vincent stood slowly, taking his time.  He closed his eyes, not wanting to see the room spin.  Tifa held onto his arm, letting him use her for support. They walked slowly out of the bar and towards the apartment door.  The air outside was thick and had an industrial smell. Vincent’s stomach churned harder than before as he felt his fingers and face tingle.  His face and neck felt unbearably hot, and being touched made it feel as if he was on fire. He tried to nudge Tifa away, not wanting to be touched.  The action caused his stomach to somersault in protest.

Vincent could feel the hot saliva that only meant the inevitable.  He quickly yet clumsily pushed Tifa aside as he ran to the back of the building, hoping for a little bit of privacy.  His right hand covered his mouth, as if to tell his body to cease and desist. He paid no mind to see if Tifa followed him.  The man collapsed on the ground, in between a dumpster and a collection of pipes. He faced the building, his back to the alleyway.

The nausea was overwhelming and he began to retch and heave.  Memories of the endless days in Hojo’s labs came flooding back, doing nothing to help his situation.  How he hated those times, and loathed anything that remotely reminded him of all that he had to go through.  The contents of his stomach emptied out onto the ground before him. His eyes were tightly shut, he tried to steady his breathing.  Vincent could feel the presence of the demons trying to gain control.

Not again.

_ Enough, Chaos! _

He tried to focus on keeping the demon at bay, instead of his miserable condition.  He heard the demon’s laughter. Vincent didn’t have the energy to shut Chaos up. He retched again as his stomach churned.

_ You said, Host, that a part of you desired a closer connection to humans, no? _

Vincent kept his eyes closed.  He did not want to deal with Chaos in any shape or form.  Especially while he was vomiting outside of a bar in a back alley.  He never realized how thankful he was to Tifa for tying back his hair.  He’d have to thank her later.

Chaos cackled, enjoying and soaking up every last bit of Vincent’s misery.  The man couldn’t take the demon’s relentless commentary.

_ What did you do, demon… _

Another cackle. To Vincent, it seemed that the entity was getting genuinely excited.  A part of Vincent did not want to know the answer.

_ I think you already know, Host.  Look for yourself. _

Vincent kept his eyes closed, not wanting to feel sick and dizzy.  The only thing he’d see would be the back of Tifa’s bar and the proof of his upset stomach.  He started to ignore Chaos and tried to focus on something else. Vincent opened his eyes, studying the cracks and imperfections of the wall.  His eyes went to the puddle before him, causing his stomach to lurch. Vincent closed his eyes as his stomach rebelled against him.

This time though, it hurt.

That along with Chaos’ growing laughter was cause for concern.  A taste of blood that accompanied the acidic remains was also concerning.  The possibility of losing blood over an upset stomach was demeaning enough to make Vincent furious.

He steeled himself, willing his stomach to behave.  He glanced over the mess, and much to his displeasure there were traces of blood, like his stomach was torn up from the inside from the sudden spasms.

_ What did you do, Chaos! _

The demon’s growing excitement was concerning to Vincent.  He couldn’t remember when he blacked out or even for how long.  It meant that there was an undetermined amount of time where Chaos had free reign to do whatever he pleased.

_ You were once a Turk, use your powers of observation. _

Vincent let out a quick growl of frustration.  The man looked into the mess and noticed a few things didn’t seem… Right.  He was no doctor, nor a scientist. With his left hand, that was thankfully covered with the gauntlet, he picked out what looked like a strand, even a chunk of hair.  Feelings of nausea were replaced with those of confusion. Upon further inspection, Vincent noticed something that looked suspiciously like a tooth. Soon the pieces were falling into place.

_ Chaos… _

He was afraid to ask.  He didn’t want to know.  Surely some of his humanity would have rubbed off on the demon.  Vincent hoped and pleaded with the universe.

_ Didn’t that little group of yours always preach about the better parts of humanity?  I thought I’d try for myself. _

Vincent’s stomach dropped as he felt waves of panic and guilt.  He dropped the wad of hair as he doubled over. Vincent didn’t try to hold back the bile this time.  In fact, it was welcomed. While humiliating, it rid his insides of the remains of Chaos’ adventures.  The demon cackled, causing Vincent to grow angrier. The demon was relentless, Vincent simply wanted to scream.

He couldn’t take it anymore.  “Shut up!” Vincent sounded angry, furious even.  On the inside, he was pleading. He wanted silence. Time to process what Chaos made him do.  To think of the sins that were added to his soul and the people he hurt.

“Vincent?”

He covered his mouth with his right hand, and clenched his stomach with the left.  How long has she been standing there for? Vincent didn’t want her near. Though he had full control, he feared he would hurt one of the few people he considered a friend.  As mundane and juvenile as it sounded, he valued her opinion and what she thought of him. Surely now that valued opinion would decrease.

Tifa walked closer to the man.  Usually an intimidating and silent demanding presence, he seemed small and shy.  Scared even.

“Stay back…”  His voice was shaky and uncertain.

Tifa shook her head as she walked closer, offering him one of two water bottles.  “Not until you rinse your mouth out with this.”

Vincent looked up at her, avoiding eye contact.  Aside from feelings of guilt and shame, he also felt embarrassed.  He was seen as the one who had full control, even after incidents or injury.  The man preferred to keep an air of seriousness and control. To make others believe he was invincible.

But now he was sitting on the ground, behind a bar, in front of a puddle of his own vomit, as he shook and tried to catch his breath.

How embarrassing.

Tifa opened the container and offered it once more.  Vincent had to admire her stubbornness, even if it inconvenienced him.  He grabbed the bottle and rinsed out his mouth, thankful to get rid of the taste.

“I…”  Vincent was at a loss for words.  “Sorry.”

Tifa knelt next to Vincent.  She gently rubbed his back, something her mom would do for her when she was sick.  Vincent stared at the wall, like it was holding the secrets to the universe.

“Everyone gets sick sometimes, don’t apologize.”

He shook his head, frowning.  “No. Not like this.”

Tifa didn’t understand.  She continued to rub his back, letting him take his time to explain.

“Another sin…”  Vincent paused. He didn’t know how to explain it.  Even though Tifa and the others knew of Chaos and the others, even seen them… Talking about their actions made it seem like he was blaming an imaginary friend to get out of trouble.  “Chaos.”

Tifa’s heart hurt for her friend.  She couldn’t even begin to imagine what he would go through on a day to day basis.  She wanted to take him inside, have him sleep in Cloud’s room until he was well. This time, she would wait until he makes the first move.

“The sins that Chaos commits…” Vincent started slowly.  “Are also my sins to bear.”

She was confused.  Vincent sat before her, clearly ill and shaken.  To her, having an upset stomach was no need for a sin.  If she had it her way, she’d drag Chaos out by the wing and give him an ear full on personal boundaries and how it was Vincent’s body, Vincent’s rules.  At least, that’s how she understood it.

“Well tell Chaos that next time he takes over, find some food or something.  Not eating can make you sick like this.”

Tifa wasn’t a fool.  She could feel that there was something more than what Vincent was telling her.  A part of her wanted to push for more answers and insight. She knew Vincent though, the more she pressed the issue, the harder it would be for him to open up.

For now though, she would focus at the task at hand.  She gently touched Vincent’s shoulder, motioning for him to get up.  The other silently obeyed, taking a small drink from the second bottle.

Tifa led him into the apartment and into Cloud’s room.  Vincent sat on the bed, feeling heavy. Removing the gauntlet and boots, Vincent welcomed the lighter, cooler feeling.  The man felt exhausted, the extra blankets that Tifa brought in looked welcoming. His eyelids felt heavy. Vincent laid down in the mess of blankets, not caring that his sleeping space looked more like a nest than a bed.

Tiredness overwhelmed him as he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.


End file.
